October 2019 75 Word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO MARGARET NOTE SPELLING!

[Parson]

“A Candle for Lucy”​

Evil shadows multiplied through Ronistown darkening everything for years.

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“Mommy, why can’t we show a little light?”

“Because light draws shadows and evil.”

But Lucy believed in the light. So, she lit a candle.

By morning Lucy and her candle had disappeared, but what happened with Lucy’s candle was on everyone’s lips.

“Something must be done.”

“Everyone should light a candle for Lucy.”

As Lucy’s candles appeared; shadows disappeared.

Darkness can never overcome the light.

 

[Artoriarius]

Whiny Little Brats

Once, there were no shadows. Men walked in the sun and felt its eternal heat. They prayed to the gods, "This is way too hot! Do something!"

So the gods made shadows as shelter from the sun. And men said, "Gods, it's too dark. I keep banging my shins on the furniture!"

And the gods spoke: "Men, thou art all whining brats."

And all this is why the gods rarely answer the prayers of men.

 

[Starbeast]

Shadow Monster of Craven Manor​

Two young rabbits sat on a couch shivering, their fur bleached white by fear, mouths quivering.

"Babbette. I can't believe you took your little brother, Costello, to that haunted house.", said Mama

"I told you bunnies the shadow demon exists. It nearly caught me.", said Papa

Mama spoke, "He is wise, who is warned by the misfortunes of others."

"Or like my daddy would say, Seek an evil clown movie, and be traumatized for life."

 

[Hugh]

Monkey​

If you live in darkness, it is only natural that you abhor those who live in the light, and vice versa. From time immemorial battles raged between the two.

Only Monkey had his feet in both worlds.

Now, Monkey realised that constant war made stealing fruit more difficult, so he gave mankind the Teaching of the Shadow: that in darkness there is light, and in light darkness.

In time this became known as the Tao.

 

[MikeAnderson]

Metus Obscuritatis

There's a reason most men in Byzelium fear the dark.

Draccus didn't. Drunk and braggadocious, he mocked the Oblivion Queen and her sway over the night ‘round our campsite’s fire.

His form vanished in black, replaced by screaming and bones crunching, and in the spot he stood, daggers for teeth grinned at me. Pieces of my commander were still stuck between the fangs.

“Heresy.” A screeching woman’s voice moaned ecstatically. “‘Tis the best seasoning.”

 

[Mr Orange]

Stan


th’re wast a great killer named Stan.
a shadow, neith’r mistress n’r man.
‘e wast actually a cute bunny,
which folk did oft find funny,
with ‘is sword in ‘em up to the ‘and.

one day Stan lurk’d in the shade,
pond’ring the value of life by th’ blade.
then ‘is mark come along,
turned Stan’s ‘art with a song,
love o’ercame death; now they run a café.

 

[Shyrka]

The Lightwalker's Lament

Ne’er go into the light,
‘less you enjoy a fright.
Catch you by the foot,
Make you black as soot.

Ne’er go into the light,
Even though she’s bright.
Dancing with a Caster,
Only courts disaster.

Umbra scoffed. She wasn’t afraid o’ no Casters, she said. Gossip and lightswill, she said. Upped an’ walked right outta the safety o’ the Gloom.

We never saw her again.

 

[chrispenycate]

Arrivederci Euredice

Behind me sunset; my shade precedes, into tomb's obscurity,
Letheal potential, untrustworthy cartography
Mythical monsters increase insecurity
Threading through impermanent subterranean geography
My harpstrings sing, annoyingly reverberate,
Through natural cavern, tunnel, gallery
Assorted monsters dance, enjoy, appreciate,
Distracted from infernal employ for salary.

Footsteps resound from dark infinity,
I hum their rhythm, crystalise definition.
No danger lurking in proximity
Can override maenadic punition.
My fate is fixed, melodically and rhyme,
Example echoing through time.​

 

[Vince W]

An Eternal Friend

“Father, I am alone in the world and very lonely. Won’t you make me a companion?”
“What kind of companion?”
“One that plays and laughs at the animals with me. One that will share all my secrets and never leave me.”
Father thought a moment and snapped his fingers. “Look behind you, son.”
The boy turned and on the ground was a figure that filled him with delight. “What is his name, Father?”
“Shadow.”

 

[Abernovo]

Curaidh sgàil

I made to leave.

″Mummy, are monsters real?″

I went back.

″No, sweetheart. They′re just in stories. Now, sleep. Liùsaidh′s here to watch you.″

##​

I headed to the hills.

A baobhan sith was hunting in Lochaber, appearing in the dusk to feed. I hefted steel in my hand. She was not the only one to hunt in the gloom.

My children didn't need to learn the truth about monsters yet. Or about me.

 

[Culhwch]

Keep Your Truths In Your Shadow

Wise A’an created all.

The land on which we stand.

Water, to soothe our parched throats.

The green, to feed us.

Beasts, so that we are not alone.

Wind, so that we might conquer the wide blue.

A’an’s light touched all. A’an knew all.

That is too much power for a single being. To spare his brother the corruption of omnipotence, Ba’lal gifted us our shadows, which A’an’s light cannot touch.

Keep your truths there.

 

[Star-child]

Prisoners

Shichi was at its zenith with four siblings connecting the horizons. The woman and boy had slept on emerald food-turf, the only variation across the endless plane. Possessing nothing else, the crook of their forearms had broken the perpetual day of eleven suns.

“You once lived inside your eyes?”

Hah! “No, just in places that had other hiding places from the… suns.”

But the smart boy knew when he was being put on.

 

[RJM Corbet]

SHADOW

“What's he want now?”

“Our Nation's law requires him to beg the Federation for an extension to the negotiations deadline?”

“We know.”

“My leader begs your Federation member nations to deny that request.”

“Why?”

“Our Nation's Council must break free from the power of the Federation's decisions.”

“He's begging us 'the enemy' to help him defeat his own National Council?”

Shrug.

“Isn't that treason?”

Shrug.

“What's your name, mister bald guy?”

“Just call me Shadow.”

 

[TomUK]

The shadow found him. It towered over him as he lay, defenceless, unable to move, every muscle paralysed. It reached towards him…

Awakening, Thero stumbled to the open door, moaning in fear.

He thrust his arm into the moonlight, forcing himself to look where the silver light spilled, and….nothing. Nothing. The light flowed as if he were not there, his shadow was gone. He had done a thing that could not be undone.

 

[johnnyjet]

Chasing Shadows

The ginger bred man, sprouted from a ginger root, leaped from the old woman's garden and ran.

"Come back. Ginger has many health benefits."

"You can't catch me! I'm the ginger bred man."

She tried to catch his shadow, but he was too quick.

"My arthritis, my heart."

The sun set, his shadow lengthened. She finally snagged his shadow and reeled him in.

"Now to grind you up."

"Oh no! There's no scientific evidence…"

 

[Kharn]

Origin of Shadow

“In the beginning there was Light and Dark.

Dark wished to rule, so did Light.

Dark employed lies, Light used Truth.

Dark fought hard, pushing Light back and claiming his lands, but Light held fast.

Light flanked left and right, surrounding Dark on three sides.

Dark held strong and could not be defeated.

In the end, Light and Dark made peace, with Dark allowed to visit Light's lands.

We call it Shadow.”

 

[Margaret Note Spelling]

Shadow Play

He sat in a cave.

Behind him, in light beyond the cave's mouth, the world spun; stories within stories, of gods, kings, humble men. Empires rose and fell. A single face launched fleets of ships. A daughter died for loyalty. A wooden horse dumped its load.

On the cave wall, shadows danced, reflecting reality in a glorious, two-dimensional world.

Carefully, painstakingly, he captured on paper what he saw, before it disappeared.

His name was Man.

 

[The Judge]

And, always, always have a lawyer draw up your contracts​

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Merchant and Pilgrim joined forces to cross the desert. Merchant had two camels; Pilgrim hired the larger.​

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When they stopped to eat, Pilgrim sat in the shadow of his beast.​

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“You hired the camel, not its shadow,” said Merchant, for his beast’s shadow was tiny. “That shade is mine.”​

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They argued, came to blows. The camels took fright, ran away.​

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Stranded, both men died.​

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The moral? Argue not over trifles. ​

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And always tether your camel.​

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Self-fulfillment


Comes the chosen one
Born without a shadow
Child of the wakened sun

No light, no sounds penetrated Mehri’s cell.

Outside, hysteria ruled the streets. Women throughout the land hoped to birth the child of prophecy. Which baby, born in and for the sun, would be shadowless?

Scholar of the heavens, Mehri had predicted a darkening of the sun. They’d locked her away for heresy.

Mehri smiled through her pain, and pushed.

No shadows here.

 

[Ursa major]

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Made in Your Image...?​

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“Darkness said to his mother, ‘Wherever my little Sister goes, some of me is annihilated.’​

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“‘That’s Her nature, my Son. When I am gone, Light will consume all of you.’​

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“Darkness asked, ‘What shall I do?’​

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“His mother replied, ‘Something wonderful, I’m sure.’​

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“As his mother faded away, Darkness created all the matter in the universe, so that He could persist in the shadows.​

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“So pray to Darkness, little ones, for He created you.”​

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